Improvement in knitting-machine



@einen gisten gatrut @frn WILLIAM H. n. HOLLEN, oF- FAs'TonIn, PENNSYLVANIA. Leners Patent Ne. 72,296, ezeeeez Deeembee'lt, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNITTING-MAGHINE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. II. HOLLEN, of Fastoria, in the county of Blair, andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Vuseful Improvement in the Rotary Knitting-Machine; and I do hereby declare 'that the following isa full,'clear, and exact-description of the construction and 'operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, m'aking a part of this specification, in which-- f Figure 1 is a. front elevation, showing,`however, only a portion of the needles and teeth, and

Figure 2 a central 'vertical longitudinal section of the said improved machine- Like letters o f reference indicating the same parts when in both ligures. I

The object of my improvement is to simplify' and improve the construction and mode of operating the needlecarriera-nd needles, stitch-lifter, thread-carrier, stitch-presser, and fabrici-pre'ssers; and my invention consists in constructing, arranging, and4 operating the said parts of the machine substantially as hereinafter described- Y and specified.

Referring'to the drawings, A is the needle-carrier, and a the needles; B, the operating cam-wheel; C, the stitch-lifter; D, the thread-carrier; E, the stitch-presser; and F F the fabric-pressers. i

The needle-carrier Ahas curved sides, which slope backward from the teeth a, as shown in g. 2, and the needles a" a are curvedto fit the part, as 'shown in the same figure, and are also grooved longitudinally on their upper sides, along theparts which rise on the curve of the carrier, and extend between and a little forward of the teeth a, for the purpose of guiding the forward motion of thestitch-lifter C, as will be hereinafter described.

-The front or hooked end of the needles a extends horizontally forward, between` the teeth a, from the face of the carrier A, as seen in the figure, and the stems of theh'eedles 'are each fixed immovably upon the sides of the carrier A. l Y

The operating-wheel B is a flat disk, arranged vertically near and at rightangles to the face ofthe needlev carrier A, and is rotated by a crank or otherwise; its airis of rotation being in the samehorizontal plane with that ofthe needle-carrier', (see g. 1.) In the middle of this disk B there are three studs b b b', fixed at equal distances apart, so as vto come successively into gear with the teeth a, and thus give the required rotary motion to the needle-carrier A as the said disk B is rotated. In the face of the disk B there is a deep continuous.

groove, forming three serpentine-like curves b b b, which .operate as cam-surfaces upon the entering end of an arm, G, which has its opposite end fixed to a rock-shaft, H, which turns upon pivots, and carries another 'shown in the drawings.

arm, I, to the upper end of which latter the upper end of the arm c', of the stitch-lifter 0,*is jointed, sothat, as the disk B is rotated, the cam-groove b thereof, giving an up-and-down motion to the arm G', and conseA quently a backward-and-forward motion to the arm I, the lower end ofthe stitch-lifter C will be moved forward and backward three times during each rotary motion of the disk B. The length ofthe arm I, and of the arm c ot' the stitch^lifter C, is such as will alternately bring the stitch-point ofl said lifter toa position just back of-the teeth ar, and to a position a little in front of the hook end of the neede,`during each of the three upand-down motions of the arm G. Y l

The lower end of the stitch-lifter C traverses the grooves in the needles, and .its form is peculiar. It has a slot in its front end, which gives ittwo projections-'the lower one, 1, being the longer, and tapered to a round point, so thatit may run in the grooves ofthe needles, under, and take up the stitches on the same; the upper projection 2 serving toaid in discharging or dropping the stitches after they have been carried over the hooked ends of the needles. The rear portion of the stitch-hook C has a reni ded portion or heel, 3, which projects downward therefrom, and traversesa portion ofthe groove of each needle after the stitch has been underrun by the point 1 ofthe lifter.

The thread-carrier D is xed on the lower end of the arm d', which is xed on the usualrock-shaft K above the front ends of the needles. It is a small block of metal, having longitudinally-curved vertical sides, which me :t in front and rear, producing a dullv'ertical edge at each for the purpose of glancing against the sides of the hooks a as it is moved backward and forward, and the-thread passes down through a. hole in its middle, as

The stitch-presser E consists of a metallic loop, sed to the rock-shaft K, and extendingjdownward therei from, so as to pass its lower or. looped end closely under the hooked ends of the needles a', to more efectually press back the stitches as the loop is moved radially inward by its rock-shaft.

The fabric-pressers F F are fixed on the rook-shaft K, and extend downward therefrom and between the projecting ends of the needles in the usual manner, but'are arranged at a greater distance apart from each other p than heretofore, (see tig. 1.)

The rock-shaft K and its appendages D E F are operated by means of a nearly horizontal spring-bar, Il, which is fixed to the arm of the stitch-lifter C, so as to project forward between the two arms of and past the Stich-presser E, behind which it has a short cross-piece, Z, and on its end, just behind the arm d ofthe threadcarrier D, another like cross-piece, Z, so that,v during its motions, it comes alternately in contact with opposite sides of the stitch-presser, and thus gives motion to D, E, and Fsimultaneously.

e I Operation.

By rotating the cam-wheel B, the studs b b b successively pass between the teeth a, and thus rotate the needle-carrier A, while the end of the arm G- traverses the groove 6, and thus gives motion to the rockshaft H, and consequently to the arm I, and the arm c of the stitch-lifter C. The stitch-lifter C being kopt ,Vrlown in the grooves of the needles by a spring, c, during the forward motion of C, its point 1 slides along up the gmioove of a needle, and then forward and under the stitch thereof, taking it up, when its rear portion or heel 3 strikes and slips along up and along thegroove, and thus raising the point end of C, so that it will carry the stitch over the end of the needle, when the upper projection 2.(of C) presses the stitch down under the end of the needle, and leaves it to be immediately pressed back against the front end of the needle-carrier A, (see lig. l.) In the mean time the thread-carrier D comes forward and passes the thread across the needle, then, glancing against one side of the hook of the same, making a stitch in the hook, and returning in the same space, or between the same two needles, but glancing against the side of the other or advancing needle; the needlel carrier A being also at the same time moved forward by one of the studs b b b', in accordance and for the purpose.

This machine is comparatively inexpensive of construction, and operates 1n an Aciective and accurate manner, and with less liability of derangement. l

Having thus fullypdescribedmy improvement, what I claim as new therein of 'my invention, and desire to` secure by Letters Patent, is confined to the following, viz:

1. I claim the combination and arrangement of the wheel B, having a groove, b, with the arm G of the rock-shaft H, as described and shown, for the purpose of giving the necessary movements to the stitch-lifter C, thread-carrier D, and the 'pressers E and F F, as described. 2. In combination with the elements of the preceding first clause, I claim the studs b 6 b in the'diskwheel B, and the teeth a in the needle-carrier A, when arranged to more `the said carrier A at the periods required by the saidstitch-lifter C, thread-carrier D, and pressers E and F F, as described.

3.` I, claim the grooved and bent needle a', in combination with the stitch-lifter C, both .constructed as described, for the purpose 'specifled 4. I claim the stitch-lifter C, made in the form shown, z'. e., with the three projections 1 2 3, for the purpose of causing the stitch-lifter of the machine to operate, in combination with the grooved and bent needles a', in the manner and for the purpose described.

5. I claim the tbread-carrier D, made with curved sides and edged ends, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. I also claim the vibrating stitch-presser E, formed as described, at its lowerend, for the purpose of causing it to pass more closely along the lower sides ofthe needles in forcing back the stitches, as described.

WM. H. H. HOILEN.

Witnesses:

JonN A. HUNTER, J. M. OALDERWOOD. 

